There are several reasons that ink jet printing has become a popular way of recording images on various media surfaces, particularly paper and photo media substrates. Some of these reasons include low printer noise, capability of high-speed recording, and capability of multi-color recording. Additionally, these advantages can be obtained at a relatively low price to consumers. With respect to ink jet ink chemistry, the majority of commercial ink jet inks are water-based and have low viscosities in order to accommodate the high frequency jetting and firing chamber refill processes common to thermal ink jet architecture. Latex polymers can be used in ink-jet inks because of their ability to remain dispersed in the ink while still being able to form a print film after printing.
As ink-jet ink applications have advanced, improvement of such printing systems through ongoing research and developmental efforts continue to be sought.